City Of Troy could be challenging stablemate River Tiber for favouritism for next year’s 2000 Guineas should he follow up his impressive debut success in the bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.
Currently second-favourite for the Classic at a best-priced 12-1, he created a real stir at the Curragh two weeks ago when Ryan Moore struggled to pull him up after crossing the line.
A colt by American Triple Crown winner Justify, out of a Fillies’ Mile winner in Together Forever, he bears all the hallmarks of a top-class prospect.
“We were impressed with him on his debut, but he hasn’t done much since,” said O’Brien.
“That was only two weeks ago, but he’s been in good form at home and you had to be delighted with him first time out.
“This looks an ideal race for him and hopefully it will do him good long term and it gives him a good education.
“We’ve always thought he was a nice horse.”
It is no surprise that Charlie Appleby provides the sternest opposition and the Moulton Paddocks handler is represented by impressive Leicester winner Great Truth.
The son of Dubawi put distance between himself and his rivals on debut and having reportedly thrived since his outing in the East Midlands, now takes an immediate step up in class.
“Obviously he won that maiden impressively,” said Appleby.
“He was very green that day as you saw, he hung across to the left. Mentally and physically he’s done very well since. When I say physically, he’s tightened up, but mentally he galloped on Wednesday, William rode him, and he was very slick.
“He quickened up well. It is a competitive Superlative this year. We were second with Victory Dance last year and he didn’t quite get to where we hoped he might get. But this year, with Aidan’s horse, it will be tough, because he looks decent.
“But we like our horse. He is slick.”
Various Royal Ascot form lines will be tied together in the Group Two event with Richard Hannon’s Haatem (fifth), Andrew Balding’s Spanish Phoenix (eighth) and Cuban Thunder (10th) stepping up in trip and representing the Coventry Form and Patrick Owens’ Oddyssey looking to build on his Chesham Stakes third.
The son of Ulysses was beaten less than a length behind Snellen and his handler has been pleased with his development since that huge effort at the Royal meeting.
“He’s come out of Ascot good and is training well,” said Owens.
“He has grown up a lot mentally which is great and we know he is going to be a nice, big, strong horse next year, but physically he has done so well this year.
“Hopefully he can step up on Ascot and I guess we’re only going to find out on the day. He has done everything right at home, but it is a massive step up.
“I’m happy with the draw, especially the two horses I’m drawn next to (City Of Troy and Great Truth), which I’m really pleased about and hopefully the ground stays as it is, that would be important. He might handle a bit of cut, but if it could stay as it is that would be perfect.
“We’ve been very pleased with him and please God he can run another big race.”
Charlie Hills’ Iberian made a taking impression when scoring first time at Newbury and the 200,000 guineas purchase will be attempting to justify connections’ decision to jump straight in at the deep end.
“He did it very well on debut at Newbury and we sort of earmarked this race as an idea,” said Richard Ryan, racing manager for owners Teme Valley.
“He’s trained well leading into it so we’re taking part and hopeful.
“Charlie is quite bold on him and he shows up quite well in the morning. We’re hopeful progress can continue to be made, but it is a hell of a race.”
In the bet365 Bunbury Cup, Streets Of Gold will attempt to build on his Jersey Stakes third, dropping back to handicap company for Eve Johnson Houghton.
The son of Havana Gold landed some valuable heats last season and has shown no sign of hitting his ceiling this term having finished just over a length behind the winner Age Of Kings at Royal Ascot.
“We were thrilled (at Ascot), but not surprised,” said the Oxfordshire-based handler.
“He’s 4lb well-in on official ratings and it seems the obvious race to go for.
“I know three-year-olds have a great record in it, but they don’t actually run in it that often. Because of the weight for age, you have to be rated quite high to get into it.
“I’m really pleased with him and I’m looking forward to a big run from him.”
Streets Of Gold is joined in the line-up by Johnson Houghton’s stable stalwart Accidental Agent, who finished a gallant seventh in the race last year.
She added: “He ran so well in in it last year and Mia (Nicholls) is going to take 7lb off him, so we thought we would give him a nice day out.”
Nashwa excelled on her return to a mile under Hollie Doyle to absolutely bolt up in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.
Riding her seventh Group One winner, Doyle was briefly stuck in a pocket as the pace quickened – but once she was in the clear the race was over in a matter of strides.
John and Thady Gosden’s filly had run well to be placed in the Oaks over a mile and a half last season, and went on to win Group Ones over 10 furlongs in the Prix de Diane and Nassau Stakes.
However, she had looked fairly lacklustre in her two previous runs this season, in France and down in Group Three company at Newcastle.
But she clearly thrived for being dropped in trip on rain-softened ground, looking in a different league to her rivals.
Pam Sly’s Astral Beau led until just over a furlong out when Remarquee looked a huge threat, bidding to give Ralph Beckett and Rob Hornby another victory in the race after Prosperous Voyage 12 months ago, only for Nashwa (4-1) to take off, ultimately winning by five lengths.
Remarquee was second and the even-money favourite Via Sistina third.
Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of raping a young woman and the attempted rape of another.
The 28-year-old broke down in tears as the not-guilty verdicts were given by the jury foreman following a three-week trial at Chester Crown Court.
He had stood for the verdicts but sank to his seat, his head on his knees, wiping away tears with a white tissue.
Mendy, whose contract with the Premier League champions ended on July 1, was cleared of attempting to rape a woman, aged 29 at the time, at his £4million mansion in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire in October 2018.
He was also found not guilty of the rape of a second woman, aged 24, two years later also at his home address.
The 10-cap France international is alleged to have later told her “it’s fine, I’ve had sex with 10,000 women”, the court heard.
The jury of six men and six women were out for around three hours and 15 minutes before returning their verdicts.
Judge Steven Everett responded: “Mr Mendy can be discharged from the dock.”
His trial was a retrial, having been cleared by a jury earlier this year of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to four young women or teenagers, following a six-month trial.
Jurors failed to reach verdicts on the two counts of rape and attempted rape he was retried with.
Tammy Beaumont praised the belief and “trust in everyone” within the England squad as they aim for more Ashes success on Sunday.
The hosts have staged an incredible turnaround in the competition, coming from 6-0 down to level the series after winning the opening ODI in Bristol on Wednesday.
England edged to a nail-biting two-wicket victory thanks to a fantastic unbeaten 75 from captain Heather Knight, who was helped across the line by seamer Kate Cross with an important cameo of 19 from 20 balls.
Beaumont also played her part, scoring 47 to help England reach a target of 264 – their highest successful run chase in the format – and the opener hailed the belief within the squad.
She told a press conference: “There’s such great trust in everyone at every situation, so for me at Bristol the other day there was no doubt in my mind that Kate Cross could bat like that.
“I think her mum was surprised she could do that for England! Every single one of us on the sideline felt completely at ease knowing Kate had the skills to do it and the same again with Alice Capsey coming on to bowl such a crucial spell.
“Everybody just backs each other’s abilities, their decision-making and everything in every situation.
“It’s a great feeling to have and throughout even though we didn’t get the results, we knew at times in the Test match we really competed and put them under pressure.
“It felt at times like things were swaying towards us, we just didn’t win those crucial moments.
“We had that belief that we certainly didn’t need to take a step back, we could just keep going and see what happens really.”
Australia had originally held the upper hand, having sealed victory in the only Test match of the series before winning the T20 opener at Edgbaston.
However, the tourists have now lost three consecutive games for the first time since 2017 after Knight’s side won the remaining T20 contests alongside Wednesday’s ODI match to level the series.
England’s men’s team have also put up their own fightback to keep their Ashes alive with a win at Headingley last week and Beaumont praised the resilient attitude from both sides.
“I think it’s really important and you’re seeing that with the men’s Ashes as well,” she said.
“They’ve gone 2-0 down, but we don’t want to be pushovers anymore and I think that’s probably why this series has been so captivating to everyone.
“I’m a massive cricket badger, but I feel Ashes fever is everywhere for both the men and women and it’s great to see.
“British culture’s always loved an underdog, so I think it’s helped that we’ve taken on such a great team in Australia. I personally love that feeling of trying to overcome a bit of difficulty.”
Attention turns to the second ODI at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday and the stakes are still high with Australia only needing to win one of the two remaining matches.
“At the moment we’re just focused on the next game, we’re taking it one game at a time,” Beaumont added.
“We’re in a great position at the moment, I feel like we’ve got some good momentum and we’re playing some good cricket. We’ll see what happens on Sunday and go from there.”
Sonny Liston will try to deliver a knockout blow as he steps back up in trip in the John Smith’s Cup at York.
The four-year-old was last seen finishing second to Jimi Hendrix – also trained by Ralph Beckett and owned by Chelsea Thoroughbreds – in the Royal Hunt Cup over a mile at Royal Ascot last month.
Sonny Liston tackles an extended 10 furlongs on the Knavesmire, a trip the gelding has encountered before when third in the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester as a three-year-old.
“I think gelding him has really helped and he was the last off the bridle at Ascot,” said Emma Spencer, managing director and racing manager for owners Chelsea Thoroughbreds.
“I expect him to be ridden the same when he steps up in trip at York, he seemed to switch off well, but obviously Jimi Hendrix was quite a long way ahead of him on the other side.
“I think it looks a good race for him, obviously a very different race to Ascot, but I think he’s kind of proven himself over the trip before and could now get his act together and build on what he did in the Hunt Cup.”
Daniel and Claire Kubler’s Astro King finished down the field in the Royal Hunt Cup, but had previously ran well over a mile at York, coming home fourth and beaten just a length and a quarter despite not being afforded a clear passage through the race.
“If he hadn’t run in the Hunt Cup, what price would he be for this?” said Daniel Kubler.
“That first run for us at York was very encouraging. Straight after the race, we were like, ‘here’s a plan’ – because he finished off the race really nicely. So, we sort of always had it in our minds that probably Hunt Cup and then this looked very logical from that point onwards.
“Our analytics and stuff that we do would suggest that he should get a mile and a quarter. It’s definitely something that’s worth exploring further. I suppose the only thing is we wouldn’t want loads of rain. That would be our slight one, we’re a little bit concerned about.”
Simon and Ed Crisford’s Sea The Casper will be popular after his sole run of the year ended in victory in a 10-furlong Lingfield handicap.
Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager to owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, said: “He’s a horse who hasn’t had a lot of racing, but he is going the right way and seems to be improving.
“He’s working nicely and we’re hopeful he will have a great chance.”
Kevin Ryan’s Marhaba The Champ is another horse with York form under his belt after his success over the course and distance in a May handicap.
His owner Jaber Abdullah is also represented by Robinson, who said: “He loved the track when he won there earlier this year.
“He had a tongue-tie on last time at Epsom (sixth) and he didn’t face it, but the ground should be fine and it’s all systems go.”
Elsewhere on the card, there is Listed action in the John Smith’s City Walls Stakes, a five-furlong sprint that has attracted 11 runners.
Ed Bethell’s Regional, an impressive winner of the Listed Achilles Stakes at Haydock and victorious over course and distance on his penultimate run, leads the way.
The latter effort was on good ground and the former on good to firm, meaning the five-year-old would not appreciate the heavy rain forecast in the York area.
“It’s very much weather-dependent at the moment. I’m hoping for a miracle and that every weather forecast will be completely wrong!” said Bethell.
“He’s in absolutely brilliant form at home, he looked pretty progressive in his last start when he won the Listed race at Haydock.
“He’s got a penalty to contend with as a result but it is more the weather that is my concern really, we’ll keep an eye on it and then make a call.
“I had thought that he could run here and then work towards the Nunthorpe, but if he didn’t run here and I had to go straight there then it wouldn’t really bother me.”
Queen Me, trained by Kevin Ryan and owned by Jaber Abdullah, finished just three lengths behind Shaquille in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on her last outing and now takes on a five-furlong trip for the first time.
“She has showed quite a lot of ability and she finished behind Swingalong in the Lowther last year, so we know she likes York,” said Robinson on behalf of the owner.
“The ground should be fine and back in a Listed race, I think she will have a great chance. She’s been racing in Group One company and it makes a big difference, so hopefully she will be able to find her old form.”
A field of six contests the Group Three John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes over a mile and six furlongs.
William Haggas’ Hamish was a decisive winner of the Ormonde Stakes at Chester on his last outing.
Brian Ellison’s Tashkhan also holds an entry and will benefit from the forecast rain when returning to a track he has run well at several times.
The Texas Super Kings secured a resounding 69-run win over the Los Angeles Knight Riders to kick off the inaugural season of Major League Cricket in the United States.
The Knight Riders, led by Captain, Sunil Narine and including the likes of Andre Russell and Rilee Rossouw, won the toss and elected to field first at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday.
The Super Kings, including Dwayne Bravo, posted 181-6 from their 20 overs thanks to half-centuries from David Miller and Devon Conway.
Miller blasted a 42-ball 61 including two fours and four sixes while, earlier, Conway hit 55 off 37 balls including seven fours and a six at the top of the order.
Pacers Lockie Ferguson and Ali Khan each took a pair of wickets for the Knight Riders.
The Super Kings then used early wickets and disciplined bowling to restrict the Knight Riders to 112 all out in just 14 overs in their reply.
The Knight Riders lost five wickets within the first six overs and were never able to recover to make the game competitive.
Only Andre Russell offered some resistance for the Knight Riders with an aggressive 55 off 34 balls including seven fours and three big sixes.
Jaskaran Malhotra (22) and Narine (15) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures as leg-spinner Mohammad Mohsin backed up some good bowling at the top from the pacers with 4-8 from three overs.
Earlier, Rusty Theron took 2-16 and Gerald Coetzee took 2-22 in four overs between them. Dwayne Bravo also chipped in with 1-10 from his two overs.
Persian Dreamer downed the long odds-on favourite Star Of Mystery in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.
Kevin Stott ensured it was a happy birthday for Amo Racing boss Kia Joorabchian in the fillies’ Group Two contest, which had looked at the mercy of Charlie Appleby’s Star Of Mystery once George Boughey’s Soprano was declared a non-runner due to a medication mix-up.
Two of the four runners were trained by Dominic French Davis, with his second string Thanksbutnothanks taking the field along early and the favourite close by.
But Persian Dreamer (5-1) – one place behind Soprano when fourth in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot – quickened impressively when asked and went on to win by a length and three-quarters, giving Stott a swift double after victory aboard the Charlie Johnston-trained Killybegs Warrior in the opening handicap.
Star Of Mystery (1-6) was a second odds-on favourite of Appleby’s to be beaten at the meeting following Adayar’s defeat on Thursday.
Ffrench Davis, celebrating his first Group winner, said: “We hit the crossbar a few times. It is a relief to win a Group race at last. She’s a smashing filly and has done nothing wrong all year, but needs to get her toe in the ground.
“We were praying for the rain today and it has come. I hoped it would rain.
“She was the last horse off the bridle at Ascot, she just doesn’t let herself down when the ground is as fast as that.
“I think she will be a lovely filly going forward. When she won on the Rowley Mile, I always felt that she might go on to be a Guineas filly next year.
“She gives you that sort of a feel. She’s done her bit for the moment and we will wait for the ground to be right and make sure the race is right and hope she will be going for a little soft-ground Group One in the autumn.
“We have got some nice horses, but never would have had this sort of class of horse at all (before Amo’s backing).”
Of the beaten market leader, Appleby said: “As we know with these small-runner events, they can become quite messy.
“It was contested early and she was lit up for the first couple of furlongs. Will (Buick) said she hit the lids and the other horse was sat on our girths and keeping us lit up. They got a nice tow into it and they picked up and saw it out better than we did.
“It is tough out there on the front with a headwind and it just paid that last couple of hundred yards.
“Fair play to the winner, they have got a nice tow and got cover pulled her out and picked her up.
“Small fields are the annoying ones, they can be more messy than the bigger ones. Our filly didn’t lose too much in defeat, but I think she’ll be better when she gets a bit of cover.
“She is most definitely a sprinter. Whether we look down the Lowther route or something, we’ll see. She is a this-year filly, on the scope of her anyway.”
Former captain Padraig Harrington believes he has two chances to prove he is worthy of becoming the oldest ever Ryder Cup player, 13 years after the last of his six appearances in the biennial event.
Harrington has not won on the DP World Tour since 2016 but has claimed five victories on the Champions Tour in the last 13 months, including successfully defending his title in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open last month.
The 51-year-old also started this season with fourth place in Abu Dhabi and finished 27th in the US Open last month, sparking speculation that he could be in the frame for one of captain Luke Donald’s six wild cards.
Raymond Floyd was 51 when he played in the 1993 Ryder Cup at The Belfry, but Harrington will celebrate his 52nd birthday a month before this year’s contest in Rome.
“I don’t think we should take the Seniors Tour into account, it’s different golf,” Harrington said after a second round of 66 left him high on the leaderboard in the £7million Genesis Scottish Open.
“I should be judged on how I play in DP World Tour and PGA Tour events. That’s it. I’ve seen some nice form and I’m gradually getting better and better.
“I played well in Abu Dhabi there but that was a good round with my back to the wall. This has been better in terms of being stress-free. I like what I see this week.
“With regards to the Ryder Cup, I’ve got these two events. I’ll see at the end of the Open. I’ll talk to Luke and see where I stand and, if necessary, I’ll change my schedule and come and play over here.
“I’m meant to be playing a few Senior events in the middle of the summer. But I will change that and play European Tour events if I have a genuine chance. If it’s real.”
Asked if he had already been in contact with Donald, Harrington said: “Luke rang me a couple of weeks ago. He was actually on to congratulate me for my win, but he also said that it would be remiss of him to say he wasn’t watching.
“He asked about my schedule. I said how I play in Scotland and at the Open will determine everything. If I don’t have good weeks it won’t be enough.
“The team looks good. I have to say that. The good players are playing well. The young guys are coming through. And older guys like Justin (Rose) have come back into form.
“I don’t think they are scrambling to need me in the team. They are very solid. Every week in the States we see a European winning or contending. It’s turned a nice corner for Europe.
“It’s nice to have experience, but they are not crying out for it. Although I don’t want to talk myself out if it. But they’re not desperate to have me in the team.”
England’s Tyrrell Hatton surged into contention for a first victory in two and a half years with a “stressful” second round of 62 in the Genesis Scottish Open.
Hatton, who began the day eight shots off the lead, carded nine birdies and a solitary bogey at the Renaissance Club to set an early clubhouse target of nine under par which was matched by South Korea’s Tom Kim.
World number one Scottie Scheffler and three-time major winner Padraig Harrington were two strokes off the pace following rounds of 65 and 66 respectively as the field battled changeable conditions in East Lothian.
Asked if his round was as easy as he made it look, Hatton said: “No, it was stressful at times, as most of my rounds are.
“But very happy with the chances I gave myself. I feel I hit a lot of good iron shots today, especially compared to Thursday. Very happy with how that was and nice to see some putts drop, too.
“I had three weeks off after the US Open and you probably saw a little bit on Thursday I was fatting a few shots.
“I was hitting balls off mats last week and, even though I got here Monday night I still had not managed to get the ball first. We managed to do that today and hopefully that continues this weekend.”
In contrast to Hatton, Harrington felt driving the ball well led to a stress-free 66, despite facing the worst of the wet and windy conditions in the first group out at 7.15am.
“I hit a great drive off my first hole of the day, 80 yards short of where I hit it yesterday,” the 51-year-old said.
“The marshals were a full 50 yards away from where they should have been for the first three, four holes because they had no idea how short the ball was going.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever been out first and I was hoping that I might turn up and get a break with the weather, but we kind of got the opposite. Then it lightened up obviously after six or seven holes. The ball started going a bit and it got a little easier then.”
Harrington has not won on the DP World Tour since 2016, but has won five times on the Champions Tour in the last 13 months, including successfully defending his title in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open last month.
“I feel I can challenge anybody on a links golf course without a doubt,” Harrington said. “From years of playing it comes natural to me.
“And I don’t have a problem coming back and playing with the young guys on any golf course, but obviously links makes it a little easier for me.”
There is room at the top for a champion sprinter this season and should Julie Camacho’s three-year-old Shaquille land the Pertemps Network July Cup, the odds are he would go a long way to claiming the title.
Winner of six of his seven races to date, he came from a hugely unpromising position to win the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, beating last year’s star juvenile Little Big Bear, despite losing plenty of ground at the start.
That is not the first time he has shown a quirk or two, although it certainly does not slow him down, but he will need to be on his best behaviour when taking on older horses for the first time as he attempts to emulate Muhaarar in winning the Commonwealth and July Cups back to back.
“Shaquille seems to be in great form and has come out of Royal Ascot well. We turned him out for three or four days and he started to get a bit fresh. He cantered on the Wednesday after Royal Ascot and he did a nice piece of work last Saturday and everything seems to be good,” said Camacho, who celebrated her first Group One win at Ascot.
“He’s lovely at home. Everybody sees him at the races and they think he’s this big, ignorant, horrible animal but he’s not! Paige Harrison, who looks after him at home and rides him at home, says he’d be quite happy to just walk up the six-furlong gallop, he just lobs along.”
Steve Brown, Camacho’s husband and assistant, said: “He is a horse who prefers to lead in his work. If you ask him to join a decent horse, he might not get there. He is relaxed and laid back.
“Each time he has raced, he’s got better. We were concerned how he would handle Royal Ascot, but when he first stepped on the track he hadn’t put a foot wrong and he hadn’t broken sweat which I was really pleased about to the point that when Oisin (Murphy) hacked away, I was actually worried he was too quiet but that didn’t reflect in his performance.
“We just hope he is maturing as we are going along. It has been a steady progression in the right direction with him and hopefully that will continue on Saturday.”
Murphy is suspended on Saturday while James Doyle, who rode him to two victories earlier in the season, is at Ascot, so Rossa Ryan comes in for the ride.
“Ascot was the first time he has started slowly in his life. He was first to load and had been sitting there a long time, so got a little bit impatient,” said Brown.
Ryan Moore was briefly in the frame for the ride after Aidan O’Brien raised some doubt about Little Big Bear’s participation. However, the rematch was confirmed on Thursday morning at declaration time.
O’Brien stated at the time everything would have to continue to go in the right direction after he suffered a stone bruise last week, causing him to miss six days of exercise.
Speaking early on Friday afternoon O’Brien said: “At the moment everything is going well with him.
“It hasn’t been ideal, obviously, but we’re happy enough.
“He just missed five or six days last week and we won’t know until he runs how much it has affected him.”
The July Cup was the one Group One in the UK that Frankie Dettori was missing on his CV and in his final year, Ralph Beckett’s Kinross had been identified as his last chance to win it.
Unfortunately for him, the suspension picked up at Royal Ascot means he is unable to retire with a full set of top-level races and he has been replaced by William Buick.
Owner Marc Chan’s racing manager Jamie McAlmont said: “William (Buick) is a more than capable substitute, but it was something we were really looking forward to (with Dettori) and sadly it just wasn’t meant to be.
“If we can get some rain that would increase his chance for sure, it would make a bit of a difference, I think.
“It’s a solid race, there’s three-year-olds racing against six-year-olds and there are a number Group One winners in the race. It’s a solid field.”
Michael Van Gerwen is ready to carry on breaking the pain barrier in his pursuit of back-to-back World Matchplay titles.
The Dutchman has recently had intensive dental surgery, with more to come, but that has not affected him too much as he won the Poland Masters at the weekend.
He heads to the Winter Gardens in Blackpool aiming to follow up last year’s success and will again give it his all.
“It has been a really tough period, but the most important thing is you have to stand up and you have to battle,” said Van Gerwen ahead of his first-round match with Brendan Dolan on Sunday.
“It costs a lot of energy, but I always say if I am competing in something, I want to win it, and this tournament will be no different.
“I’m looking forward to the World Matchplay already. It’s one of the biggest tournaments we have, I want to play well and I want to defend my title.
“I always have pressure on my shoulders but I don’t mind that. I’m winning tournaments again and that gives you confidence.”
The tournament on the west coast is widely recognised as the second biggest event on the calendar behind the World Championships, which means that world number one Michael Smith is keen to add this title to his collection.
Smith, who plays Steve Beaton, won at Alexandra Palace in January and now wants to taste success at another famous venue.
“It’s an iconic venue. The crowd are right on top of you. It’s special for us as players,” the 2019 runner-up said.
“I’m feeling confident. I’m feeling good. I’ve had a few disappointments in this tournament, especially losing the final to Rob (Cross).
“This year feels different though. I’m going in as the world number one, and I’ve got to prove why I’m in that position.
“I’m feeling comfortable and I’ve got to continue that winning run this year, hopefully starting with the World Matchplay.”
The Republic of Ireland’s behind-closed-doors match against Colombia ahead of the Women’s World Cup was abandoned after 20 minutes after becoming “overly physical”.
The PA news agency understands the decision was made following some rough challenges in Friday’s contest at Brisbane’s Meakin Park, and that Ireland midfielder Denise O’Sullivan was taken to hospital and is set to undergo a scan after sustaining a shin injury.
A statement from the Football Association of Ireland said: “The behind-closed-doors game between the Ireland women’s national team and Colombia on Friday evening was ended after 20 minutes of play.
“The game, which was held in Meakin Park, Brisbane, became overly physical and it was decided, following consultation with the match officials, to end the game.
“The Ireland team then underwent a full training session to continue preparations for their opening game in FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, against Australia in Sydney on July 20.”
Vera Pauw’s Ireland team are also set to face Canada in Perth on July 26 and then Nigeria in Brisbane five days later, as the Girls in Green play at a major tournament finals for the first time in their history.
Ons Jabeur hopes she has served her apprenticeship as she bids to take the final step and win a maiden grand slam title on Saturday.
No other woman can match the Tunisian’s achievement in reaching three grand slam finals in the last five tournaments after finishing as runner-up at Wimbledon last year to Elena Rybakina and at the US Open to Iga Swiatek.
Jabeur has certainly proved her grass-court credentials this fortnight, beating grand slam champions in the last four rounds, including Rybakina and second seed Aryna Sabalenka from a set down.
“Last year was my first final of a grand slam,” said Jabeur. “I’m definitely getting closer to winning the grand slam that I always wished.
“I would say I always believed. But sometimes you would question and doubt it if it’s going to happen, if it’s ever going to happen. Being in the last stages, I think it does help you believe more.
“I’m going to learn a lot from not only Wimbledon’s final but also US Open final, and give it my best. Maybe this year was all about trying two times and getting it right the third time.”
Standing in Jabeur’s way is an unexpected finalist in Czech Marketa Vondrousova, who reached the 2019 French Open final as a teenager but has been mostly off the radar since.
Having already beaten the players who defeated her at Wimbledon the last two years, Jabeur will now aim to make it third time lucky in another way having lost to Vondrousova twice this year, at the Australian Open and Indian Wells.
It will be a match for the purists, with Jabeur and Vondrousova the two best exponents of the drop shot in the women’s game and possessing far more in their arsenals than simply power.
Jabeur said: “I’m going for my revenge. I didn’t win against her this year. She has good hands. She plays very good.
“I will try to focus on myself a lot. I’m not sure how she’s going to play (in her) second grand slam final. We’re both hungry to win. Whoever deserves it more will win.”
Jabeur is already the first African woman and Arab player to reach a slam singles final in the open era, and is known as the ‘minister of happiness’ in her home country for her sunny demeanour and the pride she has engendered.
Lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish would be a hugely significant moment for her home region and Jabeur is buoyed by the support.
“The good thing about those people, they always tell me, ‘Win or lose, we love you’,” she said. “That’s great words to hear. I always try to remember that, even though I know everybody wants me to win.
“For me, there is one goal: I’m going for it. I will prepare 100 per cent. Hopefully I can make history, not just for Tunisia, but for Africa.”
Vondrousova’s resurgence this season has come after she missed six months of 2022 following two operations on her left wrist.
The 24-year-old, who was dropped by clothing sponsor Nike, came to London last summer as a tourist, watching a friend play in qualifying before visiting the London Eye and going shopping.
This is the first time Vondrousova has come close to matching what she achieved at Roland Garros four years ago, when a semi-final victory over Britain’s Johanna Konta was followed by a one-sided loss to Ashleigh Barty.
Like Jabeur, she has done things the hard way here, beating four seeded players before seeing off crowd favourite Elina Svitolina in the last four.
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She is aiming to become the first unseeded women’s champion at Wimbledon and believes her previous final experience will come into play, saying: “I think it can definitely help in tough moments.
“I was very young, so I think it was just too much for me back then. I’m a bit older now. I think I’m a bit of a different person. I’m just very happy to be through this again.”
Vondrousova, who will break into the top 10 for the first time if she claims the title, can also draw on the remarkable success of female players from her country.
Fellow left-hander Petra Kvitova was the last Czech winner of Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014 but since then Lucie Safarova, Karolina Pliskova, Barbora Krejcikova and Karolina Muchova have also reached slam finals.
Wolves have become the first club to be sanctioned by the Football Association solely over the homophobic chant of ‘Chelsea rent boy’ by their fans.
The Premier League side have been hit with a six-figure fine and imposed with an action plan by the FA after supporters chanted the slur during a fixture against Chelsea in April.
While the FA has always condemned the use of the term, a statement from the governing body in January confirmed to clubs they could now be charged with disciplinary action if their fans engage in discriminatory behaviour – including the use of the term ‘rent boy’.
Wolves have accepted breaches to FA rule E21 following incidents where written reasons for the charges stated: “a chant by a large number of supporters for a prolonged period of approximately 20 seconds each in the 61st and also in the 71st minutes.”
Three arrests were made by West Midlands Police for alleged homophobic chanting during the game.
Wolves have been fined £100,000 and issued an 11-point action plan as it was deemed their reaction and response to the homophobic chanting was inadequate.
In its written reasons for the charges, an Independent Regulatory Commission said a public announcement made 10 minutes after the chanting was heard was “weak” while the lack of reaction from matchday stewards was also condemned.
It was noted that the post-match response from Wolves deserved praise but the commission said there had been “a clear and significant break down between taking on board what The FA has said in its statement about the Chant and actually doing anything about it.”
Included in the action plan imposed alongside the fine and to begin from the 2023/24 season, the club has to communicate the outcome and response to the charge on their website, social media and in the next matchday programme.
In their response on their official website, a Wolves statement said: “We will continue to campaign for inclusivity in football and society and to tackle discriminatory abuse whether inside stadiums or online.
“Furthermore, Wolves will not cease in its work with supporters, communities and local stakeholders to drive LGBTQ+ inclusion and ensure the game we love is a place where everyone is respected and can feel safe playing or supporting their team.”
Other points on the action plan called for a full review of steward management, development of educational programmes, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work and a zero-tolerance media campaign.
Wolves will also have to review ticket sales policies, deploy announcements and messages to target the prevention of discriminatory chanting and have an FA compliance officer present at their next home game against Chelsea – currently scheduled for December 23.
There were 106 reported incidents of hate crime involving sexual orientation at matches in England and Wales during the 2021-22 season, according to Home Office figures released last year. That represented a 186 per cent increase on 2018-19, the last full season unaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic, when there were 37 such incidents reported.
Last season the ‘rent boy’ chant was heard at Chelsea’s matches against Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, and also at the Manchester United v Everton FA Cup match, where it was aimed at then-Toffees boss Frank Lampard, a former Chelsea player and manager.
Earlier this week, a Fulham supporter was been banned from football for three years and fined after admitting a public order offence relating to homophobic chanting.
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